Proclamation 5780 --
Greek Independence Day: A National Day of Celebration of Greek and American
Democracy, 1988

March 25, 1988

By
the President of the United States of
America

A
Proclamation

The
United States and Greece are old allies and
friends. Our nations and peoples are bound by interests, kinship, values, and a
record of common achievement. Ancient Greek ideals of freedom fueled our own
struggle for independence, and American friends supported Greece's effort to forge a
modern nation in 1821.

Over
the years, millions of Americans of Greek ancestry have enriched and strengthened
the United States. In this century,
Americans and Greeks fought and died together in three wars. The Truman
Doctrine, which helped Greeks preserve their independence and launch Greece toward prosperity, is a
proud achievement of American foreign policy. Today, Greece and the United States are partners in the
NATO alliance, which has kept the peace and preserved freedom for nearly 40
years.

The
democracy we so cherish began in Greece a millennia ago. The
grandeur the ancient Greeks left has endowed modern Americans and modern Greeks
with democracy's promise of liberty. Today, the world is still inspired by the
eternal values and aspirations for which modern Greeks reached when they began
their quest for independence on March 25, 1821.

Saluting
our common fealty to democracy and its defense, and recognizing the bonds
between the United States and Greece, the Congress, by Senate Joint Resolution
218, has designated March 25, 1988, as ``Greek Independence Day: A National Day
of Celebration of Greek and American Democracy'' and has authorized and
requested the President to issue a proclamation in observance of this event.

Now,
Therefore, I, Ronald Reagan, President of the United States of
America, do hereby proclaim March
25, 1988,
as Greek Independence Day: A National Day of Celebration of Greek and American
Democracy, and I urge all Americans to join in appropriate ceremonies and
activities to salute the Greek people and Greek independence.

In
Witness Whereof, I have hereunto set my hand this 25th day of March, in the
year of our Lord nineteen hundred and eighty-eight, and of the Independence of the United States of
America the two hundred and
twelfth.

Ronald
Reagan

[Filed with the Office
of the Federal Register, 10:18 a.m., March 28, 1988]